Player-piano.



L. G. SMITH 61,- M. A. ,BLUMBNB- PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1910.

Patented NW. 32 1912.

3 sHBnTs-sHBET L. 0. SMITH & M. A. BLUMENBERG.

' PLAYER PIANO. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1910. v 1,04 ,092, Patented Nsv. 12,1912.

( 11 tors M L. 0, SMITH (in M. A. BLUMENBERQK PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1910. 1,044,092.

if] H? 1 To all whom 'it ma'gcmwem:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'LEWIS cass SMITH .4111) Mane "A. BLUMENBERG, on NEW YORK, 11. ew) stiurn ASSIGNOR '10 SAID BLUMENBERG.

rna Yna-rxaivo.

fspecifiorzation of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Be it known that we, Lnwrs Cass SMITH and Mano A. BLUMESBERG, citizens of the United States, andresidentsof the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Player-Planes, of

p which the following is a specification.

rized as follows First: Means communicating movement to This invention relates to player pianos or piano-players, and the principal features of our improvements may be briefly summathe piano action corresponding in practice and eflect with the finger key operation of a skilled performer. Second: Thedisposalof the air chest and valves in the piano bed lieneath the finger keys, leaving the tracker board unencumbered, and the piano case interior free from the space-occupying mech-' amsm hithertotherein contained. Third: -The utilization of the usual finger key plvot posts as ducts in the system of pneumatic control and actuation. Fourth: The simpli;

fication of mechanism, reduction of pneu mat-i0 artsto-a minimum, and great increase inefficiency of operation;

Our improved method of pneumatic operation for pianosmay be briefly referred to as comprising a relay system, wherein a pneumatic column, in which ahollow key pivot is included, isgoverned by the perfo-' rated music sheet, and thereby controls a seeond pneumatic column, which operates the hammer. action through the action-extension or abstract and finger-key.

In the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a iano'showing in dotted lines the air chest in the key board frame, and the connection 2'is a section on th'eline' 22 of Fig. 1, showing the hammer-action at rest.-' Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the action in operations Fig. 4 is aplan view being a section on the line 4'-4 of Fig. 2, and, Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

In said figures the reference letter a indi- 7 rates the upright roll box of a piano-player,

which board may be of usual character shown as having a tracker-board and rolls and music sheet moving laterally over the tracker-board and rolls. 'Penetratin'g'said tracker-beard is a series of perforations,

n, so disposed as to aline, separately. with corresponding rows of the serried apertures Application filed November 30, 1910. Serial No. 594,833.

in the music sheet 6; and said perforations a each communicating" with a tube 0 of a series of such tubes, each tube 0 representing service for a separate piano key.

The keyboard frame d or pianobed is provided with an air chest 6 which extends.

throughout its length, lying beneath the keys. Said chest receives air from the bellows f through pipe g, or it maybe supplied by any other suitable pressure means. Superlmposed upon theair chest is a row of valve chambers, as h, each separated from the interior of the air chest bya flexible diaphragm 71., each said diaphragm carrying a double headed valve 72. The valve chambers h are located intermediate the length of the finger keys, serving'as ,fulcra for the latter; and the key pivots, as i, which are made 'hollow, are mounted in the valve chambers, and connectat their upper ends with the tubes 0.

Located beneath the rear end of the finger keys are a series of pressure boxes j, each' with an upper covering flexible diaphragm j,.adapted, upon distention, to tilt. said key, .which latter, in turn, elevates the exten-' sion or abstract is of the hammer action, operating said action in the same manner as of apianist.

Passages Z connect the'boxes jwith air chests e, the openings of said passages in the air chest beingcontrolled by the valves h,

'- though the key had been struck by the finger in the following manner: Assuming the perforated muslc sheet to be traveling across the tracker-board, and the air chest e carrymg a pressure; the air columns, at atmospheric pressure, in the tubesv a, plus the re'- 'sistance afforded by the flexible diaph'ragms h, will preventthe outwardflexing of 'said diaphragms and the consequent-unseating of valves h from the passages Z, when the solid material of the music sheet lies across it the orifices 0;. This condition is representedin Fig. 2. But when, asin Fig.3, a per- 9 foration in the music sheet registers with orifice a, the pressure in tube'c is relieved,

the diaphragm h is distended under the pressure in air chest 6, the valve h is there: by lifted from the orificeof passage Z, and the pressure from the' air chest passes through said passage l into valve chamber j, there distending thediaphragm 7", and operating the hammer action through the finger key and the extension or abstract k. A relief valve, as m, is provided in the air chest, to prevent the pressure therein from becoming excessive. Upon covering the orilice a, by an imperforate portion of the mu sic sheet, the diaphragm It, just actuated, resumes its normal condition, while the diaphragm j is similarly de ressed under the influence of the weight the hammer action. The retroactive power of both diaphragms also plays some part in their return movements. Obviously, regulation of the pressure in the air chest governs the force with which the hammer action is actuated, so that, by a skilful control of the bellows or other source of pressure, the tones produced may be modulated and intensified at will. By-passes e are provided between the air chest 0 and valve chamber h, to equalize the pressure on both sides of diaphragm h, and permit the return of the parts to normal position at times when the orifices a are closedby the music sheet. Also when it is necessary we may provide suitable exhausts, as j for the pressure chambers 7'.

7e claim:

1. A player-piano, an air chest therefor and a pressure supply for said air chest, together with a valve chamber, a flexible diaphragm separating said air chest and valve chamber, a bypass connecting said air chest and valve chamber, a pressure duct between said valve chamber and the traeker-board, a valve chamber having a flexible diaphragm to operate the hammer extension or abstract, a pressure duct between said last named valve chamber and said air chest, and a double acting valve carried by said first named flexible diaphragm operating to open one of said pressure ducts while closing the other.

2. In a player-piano, having keys, a tracker board, an air chest located beneath the keys, a system of pneumatic tubing between said air chest and tracker-board, and hollow pivots for the keys, said hollow pivots being included in the system of, pneumatic tubing.

3. In a player piano, a piano action, a series of flexible diaphragms disposed beneath and acting upon the rear end of the keys,

pneumatic pressure means disposed to distend said diaphragms and move the action extensions or abstracts, an air chest, a tracker-board, separate pneumatic pressure means between said air chest and trackerboard, and valves operated by said last named pressure means, said valves controlling the pressure to said flexible diaphragms.

4. In a playeriano, a key-bed, a trackerboard, a music s eet, an air chest disposed within the piano bed, a source of pressure supply, a series of tubes between said air chest and tracker-board, flexible diaphragms responding to the change of pressure in said tubes in the operation of the music sheet, air chambers with flexible diaphragms directly operating to move the hammer extension or abstract, and passages, governed by said valves, connecting said air chambers and air valves for actuating the hammer actions.

6. In a player-piano, having keys, and

hollow pivots for said keys, a piano action, a series of flexible diaphragms disposed beneath the rear end of the keys, ne'umatic pressure means disposed to disten said 'diaphragms and move the action extensions or abstracts; an air chest, a tracker-board, separate pneumatic pressuremeans, including the hollow pivots in their paths, between said air chest and tracker-board, and valves operated by said last named pressure means said valves controlling the pressure to said flexible diaphragms.

7. In a player-piano, having keys, hollow pivots for said keys, a tracker-board, a mu sic sheet, an air chest disposed within the piano bed, a source of pressure supply, a series of tubes, including said hollow ivots,

between said air chest and trackeroard,

flexible: diaphragms responding ,to the change of pressure in said tubes in the oper-- ation of the music sheet,- air chambers with flexible diaphragms to move the hammer ex-- tensions or abstracts, and passages governed by said valves, connecting said air chambers and air chest.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in the city count and State of New York this ovember A. D 1910. LEWIS CASS. SMITH. MARC A. BLUMENBERG.

Witnesses: i

F. W. BARKER, Sranonn T. Dames.

22nd day of 

